Poor Unfortunate Hearts
by LoveDisaster
Summary: What if Karen and Derek had met before Bombshell. How different would their lives be?


**This story is very AU. Karen and Derek have met before and so have Michael Swift and Karen. Plus characters from other shows will be mentioned, but probably in name only, so you don't need to know anything about them.  
**

I'm jumping up and down on the pulsating dance floor when I get THE call. My phone vibrates between my bra and my breast where I always put it for safekeeping when I want my hands free. It's easy to reach from there and I never miss a call.

I tap Quinn, whose dancing next to me on the shoulder and yell "I'm gonna get some air." Quinn clasps my hand tight, the only indication that she's heard me before going back to the grinding and bumping she's doing with our friend Santana.

I walk out of the super exclusive trendy club in Downtown LA that we've somehow gained access to thanks to me. I am an actress who's recently finished a season of American Horror Story. I pull a cigarette from my pocket, looking around for someone to light it for me. I use to pretend I didn't have a lighter so cute guys would light my cig and I'd have an excuse to talk to them. Now I just can't be bothered with the hassle of carrying one around. Thankfully, the bouncer has noticed my distress and quickly takes care of the problem. I lean against the wall and dial.

"Do you know what time it is?" Michael asks. He's a good friend from my days in NY, back when Broadway was the dream.

I glance at my watch. It's 12:00 here in LA which means 3:00 in the morning in NY. Michael who has a three year old most certainly shouldn't be up, but I tease him and say, "You called me, remember?"

"Touché. Artie had a nightmare and I couldn't get back to sleep."

"Aaa how is my favorite godson?" I ask thinking about Michael's adorable son with his chubby red cheeks and mohawk.

" He's three as long as he gets candy and The Wiggles, he's happy. That's not why I'm calling."

"Why are you calling?" I ask taking a long drag of my cigarette bracing myself for whatever is about to come.

"I'm working with Derek Willis on his next show. It's a musical based on Marilyn Monroe and he wants me to offer you the part of Marilyn."

I feel like all the air has been knocked out of me. The name Derek Willis has that effect on most people. He's a well-known and highly respected director/choreographer. He's also my ex-boyfriend and a cheating scum bag.

Michael knows all about my relationship with Derek so I'm confused as to why he even mentioned it to me. He knows my answer will be no. Ignoring that fact I say, "I'm not blonde."

"Yes, you're not, but I hear there are these fancy things called wigs nowadays," Michael says. He's being snarky.

"Why would Derek offer me the part? We haven't spoken in 3 years." I ask.

"Eileen Rand, the producer says we need someone whose already known and with your new it girl status and the fact that Derek knows you can handle the dances and songs, he suggested you," Michael explains.

It makes sense that casting me would great the kind of buzz that this show probably really needs, but I don't think working with Derek is such a good idea. Even though I'm over him cheating on me, there about a million other things we could clash on. On the other hand, I have yet to meet a director as talented and thoroughly invested as Derek. Working with him would take a huge amount of patience, strength, and hard work, but it would also have a HUGE pay off in the end.

"Look I know that it's complicated for you, working with Derek, but I'm playing Joe DiMaggio so we would be love interests and I think working with you again could be awesome. I would much rather kiss you on stage than the girl Derek's got temping right now." Michael says.

I smile and say, "I'll think about it. When do I have to give you a decision by?"

"If you're in just be at rehearsal on Monday morning." He says.

"Michael! That's in 3 days! I can just move to New York in 3 days!" I yell and the people around me who are also taking a break from the dancing to smoke look at me like I'm crazy.

"I got to go sleep, but really consider it. This is HUGE Karen and it'll make you a star." He says and hangs up on me.

"Yea yea," I say and tilt my head back on the brick wall. I take a deep breath and try to clear my head.

…

"_No! No! Again! You're off by three counts and you raising the wrong arm." Derek yells. _

_I drop my arms and take a breath. The bastards made me go through the routine so many times now that everything has become a blurry mess. _

"_Alright, I can see you're tired. Let's pick this up again tomorrow, love." He says and walks over to me to rub my shoulders._

_I ignore the way his touch sends light shivers up and down my spine, the way I instantly melt into his body, and walk away grabbing my water bottle and sitting down by the wall. Derek sits down next to me. Everything is quiet and then I turn my head and ask, "what in the hell made you decide to make me lead?" "I can't handle this." _

_Derek stares at me for a minute probably thinking I'm crazy and then he says, "I picked you because you're the best, and I don't make mistakes, so stop feeling sorry for yourself." He kisses me then; a long thorough kiss that makes my heart beat right out of my chest. It's magical and in the moment it's exactly what I need to clear my mind. _

_The next day at rehearsal, I nail the routine. _

...

Remembering my relationship with Derek always sets me off kilter. The memories are always so fresh, but it's exactly those memories that solidify my decision. Looks like I'm headed back to New York.

**Please review! It's my first SMASH story and I have an amazing direction this is going, so I hope you all enjoy!**


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